Train Station
by ashley1012414
Summary: Harry reflects on his life after the war while dropping Teddy off at the Hogwarts Express.


Train Station

The Houses Competition:

House: Hufflepuff

Year: 3rd

Category: Standard (750-1500 words)

Prompt: [Date] September 1st

Word Count: 832

* * *

Harry stared at the area around them, remembering when he first arrived at the Train Station many years ago. This time, he was sending off Teddy, who he had become the adoptive father to. He could tell Teddy was excited, and he was to. Harry started to think about how all of this came about.

After the war, one of the first questions that came to Harry was what would happen to Teddy. Both of the infant's parents had died bravely during the final battle, leaving him alone. It was very strange to Harry; he had never really expected Remus to die. Remus was the last link to his parents, and beyond that, Remus had simply become a father figure to him. Remus was someone he looked up to, and it just wasn't fair that he was unable to raise his child when Harry knew he would've been the best father.

It was almost like Harry felt a special connection to Teddy, and because of it, he felt responsible for him. Both of them had lost their parents at an early age, but Harry had to admit that Teddy had it worse. Harry sometimes remembered certain things about his parents, like his mother's voice or his father's laugh, but Teddy would not be able to remember anything. Teddy just didn't have enough time with them to even have that much. He'd just have to hear other people's recollections of memories about his parents.

Harry pitied him because of it. He didn't have it as rough as he did. One thing for certain though: he wasn't going to let Teddy have a childhood similar to his. He wanted to make sure Teddy was nurtured and as loved as much as Remus and Tonks would have provided, so he decided to take it upon his own hands. Andromeda had been pretty easy to convince; she thought that raising Teddy could be something good for Harry. She thought it could help him recover, make him feel normal again and like he wasn't The Boy Who Lived. He could finally be just Harry.

Of course, Andromeda still helped Harry raise him, as did the Weasley's, but it was fairly natural to Harry. For him, raising Teddy was like remembering what he had always wanted back at the Dursley's. He had wanted someone to care, someone to pay attention to him. So, he treated Teddy like he had wanted to be treated back then. But, Harry made sure he knew all about his parents, and one day he would understand everything. Yes, he loved Teddy, but he didn't want to take the credit of being one of his actual parents.

The Weasley's would invite the two over to the Burrow for Christmas, but they had grieving of their own to do. There was no way for them to recover from losing Fred; all they could do was make sure his memory lived on. George had felt incomplete without his brother, but there was never a time you couldn't see him telling stories and laughing, or pulling a prank on one of his siblings. He tried to make the most out of what he could. Together, the Weasley's, Harry, and Teddy would smile and laugh, making sure to make the most out of their time spent together.

During the Christmas seasons throughout the years, it was like Teddy could tell that they weren't always in the happiest of moods due to the lacking presence. The young boy would make it his duty to make them feel better. He'd carefully crawl over to one of the people around him, and use his Metamorphmagus ability to change his hair to a ginger orange color, matching theirs. Or, on the rare occasion, he would make his hair jet black like Harry's, but he tended to stick to imitating the Weasley's more eccentric color.

It would help them feel just a tad bit better during those lonely moments, and it really made Harry realize just what kind of person he was. He was in tune with how the people around him felt, and he tried his best to help. He was kind and thoughtful, and as Teddy grew up, Harry was only reminded more and more of those qualities.

On the fateful September first that would be a changing point in Teddy's life, Harry watched him board the Hogwarts Express with pride. He was certain that Teddy would do amazing things during his time at Hogwarts, and he couldn't wait to hear all about his adventures and experiences. Although he was hit with a pang of sorrow from the fact that Remus and Tonks couldn't be there to see him off, he was certain they were watching over him, feeling as proud as Harry himself felt.

This had been all they wanted for him, after all. They sacrificed their own lives for the world they believed could exist for their son. One day, Teddy will understand just how much they loved him.


End file.
